Paper bag storage receptacle



Nov. 19, 1963 F. J. RUSCHMAN, JR 3,111,295

PAPER BAG STORAGE RECEPTACLE Filed June 14, 1961 M M 3% mRw 1 m m PM;

HTTURA/f Y United States Patent 3,111,295 PAPER BAG STGRAGE REQEETACLE Frederick J. Ruschman, J12, Paramus, NJ. 1522 N. Gibson Ave, Indianap'oiis, Ind.)

Fiied dune 1d, 1961, No. 116,993 It) Claims. (ill. 248191) This invention relates to receptacles for use in storage of paper bags in which merchandise is usually packaged in super-markets and stores of many types and kinds, wherein the purchaser, upon removing the articles from the paper bags, collapses and folds the bags and inserts them in the receptacle in providing a definite position of storage of such bags for further use in the home. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character described employing a flexible walled container or receptacle in which the bags are adapted to be stored, the receptacle being mounted in connection with a supporting channel bar or rail for mounting the device in connection with a suitable support.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character described, wherein one edge portion of the receptacle, at the open end thereof, includes a resilient element for retention of said edge portion in the channel of said bar or rail.

The novel features of the invention will be best tinderstood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a device made according to my invention showing one wall of the receptacle in extended position with respect to its supporting bar or rail, parts of the construction being broken away.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the container or receptacle in closed position and with parts of the construction broken away.

FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4- of FIG. 2 showing one side portion of the lower part of the receptacle on an enlarged scale and with parts of the construction broken away.

In the purchase of groceries and other products for use in the home, at various establishments, such as supermarkets and stores of various descriptions, it is customary for the storekeeper to place numerous purchased items of this type and kind in paper bags. Upon removal of the items from the bags, it has been a common practice in many homes to collapse and fold such paper bags and place them in various positions in a kitchen or other room of the home for further use. However, in this latter procedure, no definite or positive place of collection or assembiage of such bags has been provided.

it is the purpose of my invention to provide a device, including a flexible container or receptacle, in which such collapsed and, in some cases, folded paper bags can be stored and arranged in a predetermined definite position in the kitchen or other room of the home.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, my improved device comprises a channelled bar or rail it), preferably of extruded material to simplify cost of production. The bar or rail is generally rectangular in cross-sectional form and defined by substantially parallel front and rear surfaces and substantially parallel upper and lower surfaces. In the present illustration, this bar or rail is composed of plastic material and has a downwardly inclined channel 11 extending longitudinally thereof and opening through the front surface of the bar or rail. The channel is defined by an upper wall 12 and a lower wall 13, the latter being of greater thickness than the wall 12, so as to extend slightly beyond the front surface of the wall 12. The inner or back wall 14 of the channel is substantially parallel to the rear surface and also includes a longitudinal groove 15. The bar or rail 1% will be drilled at spaced intervals to form two or more apertures 16 for the reception of screws or other fastening devices 17 for mounting the bar or rail in connection with a door or other support. Part of such a support is indicated, in section, at 18 in FIG. 2 of the drawing. However, the support is omitted in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the head '19 of the screw 17 is countersunk in the back wall 14, so as to leave the channel 11 free and clear for mounting of the container or receptacle unit 20 in connection with the rail.

The unit 2!) preferably comprises a flexible walled receptacle 21 which, in the construction shown, comprises three definite wall portions, namely a back wall 22, a front wall 23 and a bot-tom wall 24. The lower edges of the back and front walls are seamed to peripheral edges of the bottom wall 214, as diagrammatically illustrated, in part, in FIG. 4- of the drawing, the back wall seam being indicated at 25 and the front Wall seam being indicated at 26.

The upper edge of the back wall 22 includes a loop 27 in which a wire rod 28 is arranged, the rod having angularly offset ring ends, one of which is indicated, in section, at 29 in FIG. 3 of the drawing, these ends extending over ends of the bar or rail it as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing. It will appear, from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, that the rod 28, including the loop 27, are normally positioned in the groove 15 in definitely positioning the upper edge of the back wall 22 on the bar or rail 14 the upper portion of the back wall extending forwardly through the channel 11 and downwardly over the front surface of the bottom wall 13 of the channel, as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The upper edge of the front wall 23 has a shirred loop 30, part of the shirring being indicated at 31 in FIG. 3 of the drawing. However, no attempt is made to show such shirring in FIGS. 1 and 2. Arranged in the loop 3%) is a yieldable or extensible element 32 which, in the construction shown, is in the form of a coil spring, ends of which have angularly ofiset mounting loops 33 arranged over the loops 29, again, as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing. Passed through the loop ends 29, 33 are screws or other fastening means 34 mounted in ends of the bar or rail it one of such mountings being clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing. It will be understood that, upon removal of the screws 34, the unit can be detached from the bar or rail 11} for cleaning or other purposes, the flexible wall structure of the container or receptacle 21 facilitating removal thereof from the supports 28, 32 for laundering or other purposes.

At 35 in PEG. 1 of the drawing I have diagrammatically shown a handle member attached to widespread portions of the spring 32, as at 36, to facilitate opening of the container or receptacle, in the manner diagrammatically seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing, for insertion of paper bags into the receptacle and, in FIG. 2 of the drawing, I have diagrammatically illustrated a number of such bags at 37. It will be apparent that, by pulling out on the handle 35 with one hand, the other hand can be utilized to insert or remove a paper bag with respect to the receptacle. Upon release of the handle member 35, the element 32 will operate to return the upper edge of the front wall 23 to the position indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing with t e loop 36' and spring 32 in the channel 11 and resting on the upper inclined surface of the wall 13 of the channel. It will also appear, from a consideration of 3 FIG. 2 of the drawing, that the front wall 23 will be held in pressure engagement with the back wall 22 at 38 in effecting a substantial seal to the upper open end of the container or receptacle. This latter feature would be desirable in other uses of the device wherein a seal at this position would be desirable.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, it will be apparent that the tension of the spring 32 is such as to forcibly retain the upper edge of the front wall in the channel 11 of the rail 10, the spring being tensioned in the direction of the securing devices 34 which are positioned downwardly with respect to the location of the spring on the inclined surface of the wall 13. However, when the receptacle is open, as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the ends of the spring are still positioned within the channel 11, thus, upon sudden release of the handle member 3'5, the spring will be automatically returned to the position substantially as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawing. In some instances, instead of using a single spring or extensible element, two springs or elements can be employed from the point of attachment of the handle member 3-5 at 36 to the loop or ring ends 33. However, in a simplified construction, it would doubtlessly be more economical to simply arrange one long spring 32 in the loop 30. By virtue of the simplified structure of the device, the same can be produced and sold at a nominal cost and the user will find practical uses for a device of this type and kind in retaining paper bags and the like in a definite stored position in the home or elsewhere, d pending upon the use to which the device is put.

For purposes of description, the looped upper ends 27, 30 of the back and front walls of the receptacle may be said to define tubular portions, in which the rod 28 and element 32 are respectively mounted.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An article storage device of the character described, comprising an elongated channelled rail, means for attachment of the rail to a suitable support, a receptacle unit comprising a flexible walled receptacle open at the upper end, said receptacle including front and back Walls, means attached to the upper edge of the back wall and to said rail for mounting the back wall in connection with said rail, a yieldable element coupled with the upper edge of the front wall and with ends of said rail for yieldably supporting said upper edge of the front wall in the channel of said rail, and handgrip means attached to the upper edge of the front wall for moving the upper edge of the front wall out of the channel of said rail in opening the receptacle to give access thereto.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said last named means comprises a handle element attached to widespread central portions of said element.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel of said rail is defined by upper and lower spaced walls, and the upper surface of said lower wall being inclined downwardly and inwardly from the forward edge of said wall.

4. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the channel includes aback Wall, and said back Wall having a longitudinal groove extending the full length thereof.

5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein said second named means includes a rod seating in said groove, and said rod having offset ends arranged on ends of said rail.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein attachment of said element to the upper edge of the front wall comprises a shirred tubular portion at said end of the front wall in which said element is arranged.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, wherein said element comprises a coil spring having looped ends for attachment to ends of said rail.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the channel of said rail is inclined inwardly and downwardly, and attachment of said element to ends of the rail being such as to urge said element and the upper edge portion of the front wall downwardly in the channel of said rail.

9. A device as defined in claim 8, wherein upper edge portions of the front and back wall have pressure engagement with a lower wall of the channel in effecting a seal at the closure end of said receptacle.

10. An article storage device of the character described employing a flexible walled receptacle unit, means for supporting said unit, said means comprising an elongated rail generally rectangular in cross-sectional form and having substantially parallel front and rear and top and bottom surfaces, said rail having a downwardly inclined channel opening through the front surface of the rail and extending the full length of the rail, said channel having a back wall substantially parallel to the rear surface of the rail, means facilitating attachment of the rail to a support, means mounted in connection with the back wall of said channel for coupling one edge portion of the receptacle unit with the rail, and yieldable means attached to another edge portion of said receptacle unit for support of said last named edge portion in the channel of said rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,189,567 Miller Feb. 6, 1940 2,241,309 Kovalik May 6, 1941 2,572,486 Isaac Oct. 23, 1951 2,778,553 Satrom Jan. 22, 1957 2,796,309 Taylor June 18, 1957 2,882,113 Gantner Apr. 14, 1959 

1. AN ARTICLE STORAGE DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CHANNELLED RAIL, MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT OF THE RAIL TO A SUITABLE SUPPORT, A RECEPTACLE UNIT COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE WALLED RECEPTACLE OPEN AT THE UPPER END, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING FRONT AND BACK WALLS, MEANS ATTACHED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF THE BACK WALL AND TO SAID RAIL FOR MOUNTING THE BACK WALL IN CONNECTION WITH SAID RAIL, A YIELDABLE ELEMENT COUPLED WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT WALL AND WITH ENDS OF SAID RAIL FOR YIELDABLY SUPPORTING SAID UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT WALL IN THE CHANNEL OF SAID RAIL, AND HANDGRIP MEANS ATTACHED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT WALL FOR MOVING THE UPPER EDGE OF THE FRONT WALL OUT OF THE CHANNEL OF SAID RAIL IN OPENING THE RECEPTACLE TO GIVE ACCESS THERETO. 